Notre Dame’s trip through a rainy Saturday in Chapel Hill ended with another familiar result: the Fighting Irish kept rolling, beat North Carolina 37-26, and stayed put at No. 3 in the AP Poll for the fifth straight week.
The Irish improved to 5-0 and continued a one-sided run against the Tar Heels, winning 22 of the 24 meetings between the teams. Notre Dame came out hot enough to build a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter, but North Carolina answered enough to make it a one-score game by halftime. From there, the Irish leaned on the ground game - with freshman Jonaz Walton helping power the late push - and separated in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
The win did not move Notre Dame in the rankings, but it did keep the Irish in position near the top as the season moves toward the stretch run. Notre Dame is nearly halfway through the schedule, and the biggest tests still sit ahead, with three ranked opponents left on the back half of the slate.
At the top of the AP Poll, Texas remained No. 1, followed by Georgia and Notre Dame. Miami held at No. 4 after its 41-13 win over Clemson, and Ohio State rounded out the top five. The Hurricanes also stayed No. 4 in the Coaches Poll.
BYU climbed to No. 8 in the AP Poll after a 17-10 win over TCU, and the Cougars stayed No. 8 in the Coaches Poll as well. SMU, meanwhile, moved the other direction after pulling away late against Boston College, 25-16. The Mustangs fell three spots to No. 24 in the AP Poll and dropped to No. 22 in the Coaches Poll.
Wisconsin also kept building momentum. The Badgers, who lost their opener to Notre Dame, have now won four straight after a 31-3 rout of Michigan State. They are still unranked, but received 88 votes in the AP Poll and 47 in the Coaches Poll.
Notre Dame’s next stop brings a home date with Stanford in the battle for the Legends Trophy. The Cardinals are 2-3 after a 57-3 loss to Wake Forest. Notre Dame leads the all-time series 24-13, and if the Irish want to keep their spot near the top of the AP Poll and strengthen their College Football Playoff case, they will need to handle business cleanly.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Had To Earn This One Against Bill Belichick
Bill Belichicks postgame takeaway from North Carolinas 37-26 loss at No. 3 Notre Dame was familiar to anyone who watched it unfold: the Tar Heels were competitive, but they left too much on the field. Notre Dame still had to grind for this one, leaning on a strong rushing attack while quarterback CJ Carr helped steady things for the Irish in a game that stayed uncomfortable longer than the home side probably wanted.
Billy Edwards Jr. gave North Carolina enough offense to keep the pressure on, throwing three touchdown passes in defeat, and that was part of what made this one feel more like a test than a stroll. For Notre Dame, the result matters more than the style points, but it also served as a reminder that even against a team coming in under Belichick, nothing is getting handed over in South Bend. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Defense Just Got The Wake-Up Call Fans Feared
Notre Dames defense came out of its 37-26 win over North Carolina with plenty to unpack, and not all of it was comfortable. The unit gave up three long touchdown drives, even as it also produced stretches that looked like the kind of disruptive football the Irish have been trying to build around. On the other six Tar Heel possessions, Notre Dame held firm, limiting North Carolina to 41 yards and forcing two interceptions.
Senior safety Luke Talich was right in the middle of it, making an interception and blocking an extra point while playing with a wrist brace. Defensive coordinator Chris Ash still had execution issues to sort through afterward, and the bigger takeaway was less about celebration than correction. For a defense heading into a tougher stretch, the game looked like a reminder that the floor is higher when the unit is focused, but the margin for error is still too thin to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Carr Has Notre Dame In A Heisman Spotlight Again
The Heisman conversation is already starting to take shape in the 2026 college football season, and Notre Dame has a familiar name back in the mix. CJ Carr is among five early contenders drawing attention, alongside Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State, Keelon Russell at Alabama, Darian Mensah at Miami and Gunner Stockton at Georgia, with each players production and team success helping frame the opening stretch of the race.
For Notre Dame, Carrs presence matters because the Irish have spent enough seasons waiting for a quarterback to break into the national awards picture again. The race is still in its early stages, though, and the next round of key games could quickly separate the serious challengers from the rest of the field, which means Carrs path to staying in that spotlight is only going to get tougher from here. [Read more 🡒]